DSP Quattro — imbedding metadata

[Shooshie]

In the past, using DSP Quattro, Waveburner, and other mastering software, I've meticulously filled out the metadata fields for song names, album names, and so forth. Then burn the CD, and there's nothing. Just "Track 1, Track 2..." etc. Does anyone know how to get that data into a master file? Even if I can't get it to print to the CD (my CD software is probably to blame), the place to which I send the master should be able to do it. Is it worth my trying to put that information into the songs for them? Or will they use their own software to do that? This is one of those things I've spent a bit of time trying to understand, but to no avail. I've not once succeeded in burning a CD with the track names on it. At least not in a long time. Seems like I was able to do that a couple decades ago with Toast or Jam or something.

Shoosh

[philbrown]

My info is sketchy, so keep that in mind. Way back when I researched such things the way I understood it was that if CD text was implemented then the CD no longer adhered to the Red Book standard and it was actually some offshoot format that was related to Karaoke. So for absolute compatibility I went with Red Book standards. The other thing was some CD players read the song titles and some don't.

Here's the other thing - there's an entity called Gracenote formerly CDDB (CD DataBase). Commercial CD's are submitted to them with track info and they use some sort of secret algorithm which people believed was based on the song lengths to identify specifically what CD it is, then iTunes (for example) looks out to Gracenote and GN feeds back the song titles and maybe more info, not sure. I have never directly submitted to Gracenote, but for example my band's CD, which is on route from Diskmakers will be in that database as Dismakers submits that as part of their service.

The seminar clients I have worked with for many years had a major issue with Gracenote in that these seminar CD's did not get along with Gracenote's database (probably because the intro's were the same length and maybe other factors). So people would stick the CD in and get wrong titles. At the time we were duplicating the CD's as well so the blame was pointed at us. I ended up going round and round with GN to expunge those from their database but they wouldn't budge. I still do the audio but we haven't duplicated CD's for 5 or 6 years now, so I'm not sure where that stands at present.

Shooshie - a lot of this is really old info so take it for what it's worth.

[Shooshie]

So maybe the best path is no path? That is, no song title text?
Suits me; I don't like messing with it, especially since it hardly ever works. At least this gives me something to tell my client who is hoping that the metadata will be included. I thought I'd look into it and see if it's just something I have been overlooking. Your info goes a long way toward explaining the problem. Seems like the Red Book standard would have long ago managed that one instead of excluding it.

Shooshie

[philbrown]

At least this gives me something to tell my client who is hoping that the metadata will be included.

Turns out you or your client can submit to Gracenote right from iTunes.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH19609?locale=en_US

[philbrown]

Shooshie - I forgot to mention that right from DSP-Q if you export mp3's from there the mp3's are titled with the song titles and you can also enter other metadata in DSP-Q but I'm not sure how much makes it to the mp3's. I use DSP-Q all the time in that way but in my case my client adds all the other metadata at their end so in essence I'm only supplying the track titles.

[mikehalloran]

...the place to which I send the master should be able to do it.

And what did they say when you asked them?

[kwiz]

In the past, using DSP Quattro, Waveburner, and other mastering software, I've meticulously filled out the metadata fields for song names, album names, and so forth. Then burn the CD, and there's nothing. Just "Track 1, Track 2..." etc. Does anyone know how to get that data into a master file? Even if I can't get it to print to the CD (my CD software is probably to blame), the place to which I send the master should be able to do it. Is it worth my trying to put that information into the songs for them? Or will they use their own software to do that? This is one of those things I've spent a bit of time trying to understand, but to no avail. I've not once succeeded in burning a CD with the track names on it. At least not in a long time. Seems like I was able to do that a couple decades ago with Toast or Jam or something.

Shoosh

I'm using DSP Quattro 4.4 and it works fine on my end; metadata and all. What version are you using?

[Shooshie]

Kwiz, are you burning the CDs directly from DSP Quattro? That's how I have always done it, but I don't think I ever got song titles out of it. Before DSP Quattro I was using WaveBurner; same deal. My tracks just say Track 1, Track 2, etc.

It's been a while since I actually delivered CDs to anyone. Maybe DSP Quattro 4.4 does this. I DO have it installed, but can't remember if I have made any CDs from it since the last upgrade. I didn't do any music for a year (my "sabbatical") , and only digital delivery stuff for a year or so before that. I think the last person to whom I delivered physical CDs was back in 2014. I just checked one of those, and indeed it just says track 1, track 2...

This project will be going to CD Baby, and their instructions are just for 44.1K/16bit individual audio files. Now that I'm looking at their materials, it's kind of vague how they want that delivered. From what I'm seeing, I think they mean that they have some online form for the metadata, and that it's not a part of the audio files at all. I've got some further research to do. I know if I don't understand it, my client surely doesn't. Since I am not the one with an account there, it's kind of slow going back and forth with her, but we'll get to the bottom of this!

Shooshie

[BobK]

Kwiz, are you burning the CDs directly from DSP Quattro? That's how I have always done it, but I don't think I ever got song titles out of it. Before DSP Quattro I was using WaveBurner; same deal. My tracks just say Track 1, Track 2, etc.

It's been a while since I actually delivered CDs to anyone. Maybe DSP Quattro 4.4 does this. I DO have it installed, but can't remember if I have made any CDs from it since the last upgrade. I didn't do any music for a year (my "sabbatical") , and only digital delivery stuff for a year or so before that. I think the last person to whom I delivered physical CDs was back in 2014. I just checked one of those, and indeed it just says track 1, track 2...

This project will be going to CD Baby, and their instructions are just for 44.1K/16bit individual audio files. Now that I'm looking at their materials, it's kind of vague how they want that delivered. From what I'm seeing, I think they mean that they have some online form for the metadata, and that it's not a part of the audio files at all. I've got some further research to do. I know if I don't understand it, my client surely doesn't. Since I am not the one with an account there, it's kind of slow going back and forth with her, but we'll get to the bottom of this!

Shooshie

Shoosh,

Where exactly is it that you're expecting to see song titles? When you mount the CD in the Mac OS Finder after burning it?

If so, then it's normal that you don't see the titles until you enter them in Gracenote.

CDText is an extension of the RedBook spec. Mac OS and iTunes don't read it. Only certain hardware CD players do.

I've never understood exactly what type of data Gracenote/CDDB data is, but when the Finder displays track info, that's where it comes from, according to this article:

https://support.duplication.cdbaby.com/ ... -computer-

If I recall correctly - it's been a few years - I had to enter all the metadata on the TuneCore web site after uploading each track for digital distribution.

I think it's possible to upload files as Track 1, Track 2, etc, but I found it convenient to have the track names. To do that, launch iTunes and register the CD info with Gracenote. In the past, I had to remove and re-mount the CD in the Finder before the track names would be recognized, but I don't think you have to do that anymore.

[davedempsey]

Hi Shooshie,

I use DSP Quattro in my mastering work and can confirm the metadata is included in burnt CDs, DDP Files etc.
You can see and verify the metadata on burnt CDs by using drutil (drive utility) commands in Terminal.
If you open Terminal and type drutil then press enter you will see a list of the various commands.
To verify CD Text you type drutil cdtext and hit enter.

Cheers,
DD

[philbrown]

Hi Shooshie,

I use DSP Quattro in my mastering work and can confirm the metadata is included in burnt CDs, DDP Files etc.
You can see and verify the metadata on burnt CDs by using drutil (drive utility) commands in Terminal.
If you open Terminal and type drutil then press enter you will see a list of the various commands.
To verify CD Text you type drutil cdtext and hit enter.

Cheers,
DD

Interesting - had no idea of that.

Shooshie - have a look at page 154-155 of the DSP-Q manual, in case you want to do CD text.